Methods and systems for processing packages

ABSTRACT

Methods include, prior to arrival of the incoming shipment of packages at a distribution facility, automatically determining an unload score for the incoming shipment based on electronic shipment data, the electronic shipment data including and the unload score being at least partially based on at least two or more of: a total number of packages in the incoming shipment, a number of products in the incoming shipment, and a conveyability of the packages in the incoming shipment, automatically comparing the unload score to a threshold unload score, sending instruction for directing a truck carrying the incoming shipment to at least one automated or manual receiving door when the unload score is at least equal to the threshold unload score, and sending instruction directing a truck carrying the incoming shipment to the other of the automated or manual receiving door when the unload score is less than the threshold unload score.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of and claims priority under 35U.S.C. §120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/557,828, filed Sep.11, 2009, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/857,178, filed May 28, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,603,299, issued Oct.13, 2009, both of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As the retail industry continues to become more competitive, keepingitems in stock and timely replenishment of out-of-stock items at retailstores is increasingly important in attracting and maintainingcustomers. Large retailers typically utilize centralized warehouses, ordistribution centers, to supply goods to multiple retail stores. Fastand efficient transfer of incoming goods from vendors to retail storeshaving inventory needs is necessary for distribution centers to properlymaintain the inventories of their associated retail stores.

Shipments of goods are generally hauled by carriers, who typicallydeliver the goods to the distribution centers by truck. Trucks havingrelatively homogenous loads, such as trucks carrying a single type ofproduct from a single manufacturer, can generally be unloaded and havetheir contents verified relatively quickly. However, trucks having mixedloads containing a wide variety of products from multiple manufacturers,such as trucks carrying loads from consolidators or import warehouses,can be difficult and time consuming to unload as each package, orcarton, must be individually evaluated by distribution center personnelto identify its contents and determine how it is to be distributed. Sucha time consuming receiving process is costly and can result inundesirable delays in delivering goods to retails stores havinginventory needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a package processingsystem for a distribution facility supplying inventory to a plurality ofretail outlets. The package processing system includes a reader and acontroller. The reader is configured to automatically identify vendorlabels on each package of a shipment of packages, each such vendor labelbeing one of a plurality of label types. Each such vendor label includesa package identifier code representative of the corresponding package.The reader is configured to select a vendor label for each package fromidentified vendor labels from each package based on label type. Thecontroller is configured to receive distribution instructions for eachpackage based on electronic shipment data representative of the shipmentand each package of the shipment and on inventory needs of the retailoutlets. The controller is configured to assign a routing code for eachpackage based on a comparison of the package identifier code of thecorresponding selected label with the electronic shipment data and thedistribution instructions, wherein each package is distributed withinthe distribution facility based on the corresponding routing code.

Other features and advantages are also disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will be described with respect to thefigures, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and inwhich:

FIG. 1 is block diagram illustrating one embodiment of an automatedreceiving system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of an automatedreader as employed by the automated receiving systems illustrated byFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a process

according to the present invention for receiving packages from ashipment of packages.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating another embodiment of a processaccording to the present invention for receiving packages from ashipment of packages.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram generally illustrating one embodiment of anautomated receiving system 10 according to the present invention for adistribution facility 12 having at least one automated receiving door 14and at least one manual receiving door 16. Automated receiving system 10includes a scheduler 18, a distribution controller 20, a transportsystem 22, an automated reader 24, a labeler 26, and a control module30. In one embodiment, as illustrated, scheduler 18 and distributioncontroller 20 comprise portions of a facility management system 32configured to monitor, control, and perform substantially all functionsassociated with the operation of distribution facility 12 including, forexample, merchandise tracking, staff planning, and productivityanalysis.

An external host system 34 monitors the inventory needs of all retailoutlets 36 of an associated retail corporation or other entity viacommunication links 38, including retail outlets 40 supplied bydistribution facility 12 and retail outlets 42 supplied by otherdistribution facilities (not shown). Based on the inventory needs ofretail outlets 36, external host system 34 issues purchase orders (PO's)44 to various vendors 46, each PO having an associated PO number andeach directing the purchase of described product(s) from a vendor whichare necessary to maintain the inventories of retail outlets 36, anddirecting where the ordered products are to be delivered. The term“vendor” as used herein is used to describe any entity which providesgoods or other products, such as a manufacturer or importer. A copy ofeach PO 44 directing the purchase of products for a retail outlet 36 isforwarded to the retail outlet's corresponding distribution facility. Assuch, a copy of any PO directing the purchase of products for retailoutlets 40 supplied by distribution facility 12 is provided to facilitymanagement system 32 via a communications link 53.

As directed by PO's 44 associated with retail outlets 40, vendors 46periodically ship products to distribution facility 12. Generally,vendors 46 do not ship the products themselves, but instead employ oneor more carriers, such as carrier 47, to deliver the ordered products toa distribution facility 12. Vendors 46 typically generate a bill oflading (BOL), each having a BOL number and listing the PO numbersassociated with the products being shipped via carrier 47.

Carriers 47 generally deliver the products to distribution facility 12by truck, and sometimes combine multiple BOL's from multiple vendors,such as vendors 46 a and 46 b, into a single shipment 48. For eachshipment, such as shipment 48, carrier 47 generates a separateprogressive list (PRO) that indicates the BOL numbers and the PO numbersassociated with products contained in shipment 48, and a total quantityof packages associated with each PO. Prior to shipment 48 arriving atdistribution facility 12, carrier 47 transmits the PRO list associatedwith shipment 48 as electronic shipment data to facility managementsystem 32 of distribution facility 12 via a communication link 51. Inresponse to receipt of electronic shipment data from carrier 47,scheduler 18 assigns a shipment identification number to shipment 48.

Additionally, after shipping products via a carrier, such as carrier 47,vendors 46 transmit to facility management system 32 via communicationslinks 50 electronic shipment data representative of the products beingshipped via carrier 47 in shipment 48. Typically, the electronicshipment data provided by vendors 46 comprises the BOL number, POnumbers associated with the shipped products, a package identificationcode associated with each package of each PO, a product identificationcode associated with the type of product in each package, how many totalunits of a given product are being shipped, and the number of productunits a given product contained in a package. However, the electronicshipment data provided by vendors 46 may sometimes comprise only the POnumbers associated with the products contained in shipment 48.

Prior to arrival of shipment 48 at distribution facility 12, scheduler18 applies an algorithm to the electronic shipment data received fromvendors 46 and carrier 47 to determine an unload score for shipment 48.Based on the unload score, scheduler 18 directs shipment 48 to eitherautomated receiving door 14 or manual receiving door 16. Scheduler 18determines point values for a plurality of shipment characteristics ofshipment 48 and then totals the point values for each of the shipmentcharacteristics to determine the unload score. In one embodiment, thehigher the point value for a shipment characteristic, the better thecandidate the shipment is for being directed to automated receiving door14.

An example of one such shipment characteristic comprises the totalnumber of packages in shipment 48. The higher the number of packages,the higher the point value for this characteristic. An example ofanother shipment characteristic comprises the number of productscontained in shipment 48. The higher the number of different products,the higher the point value for this characteristic. An example ofanother shipment characteristic involves the conveyability of thepackages contained in shipment 48. The higher the number of packagesthat are able to be transported by a conveyor system, the higher thescore for this characteristic.

An example of yet another shipment characteristic involves how well theelectronic shipment data received from carrier 47 correlates withelectronic shipment data provided by vendors 46. As described above, theelectronic shipment data received from carrier 47 includes the BOLnumbers associated with shipment 48, the PO numbers associated with eachBOL number, and the total number of packages associated with each POnumber. Also as described above, the electronic shipment data providedby vendors 46 generally includes the PO's associated with the BOL, howmany total units of a given product are associated with each PO, and howmany units of a given product are contained in a package. By dividingthe total number of units by the number of units in a package, thenumber of packages of a given product associated with a PO can bedetermined.

By carrying out the above described process for each type of productassociated with a PO, the total number of packages associated with thePO, as based on the vendor 46 electronic shipment data, can becalculated. This calculated number of packages for a PO is then comparedto the number of packages associated with the PO as provided by theelectronic shipment data provided by carrier 47. The above describedprocess is repeated for each PO associated with shipment 48. The higherpercentage of PO's having a calculated number of packages matching thenumber of packages provided by vendor 47 via the electronic shipmentdata, the higher the point value for this shipment characteristic. Itshould be noted that in cases where the electronic shipment dataprovided by vendors 46 comprises only the PO numbers associated with ashipment, such as shipment 48, such a low point value will result forthis shipment characteristic that shipment 48 will likely be directed tomanual receiving door 16.

After point values for each of the shipment characteristics has beendetermined, scheduler 18 totals them to determine the unload score forshipment 48. In one embodiment, if the unload score is at or exceeds athreshold unload score, scheduler 18 directs shipment 48 to automatedreceiving door 14. In one embodiment, scheduler 18 compares the unloadscore for shipment 48 to unload scores for other shipments scheduled toarrive at distribution facility 12 to determine whether to directshipment 48 to automated receiving door 14 or manual receiving door 16.If the unload score for shipment 48 is high relative to other shipments,shipment 48 is more likely to be directed to automated receiving door14. If shipment 48 has an associated unload score that results inshipment 48 being directed to automated receiving door 14, scheduler 18provides the previously assigned shipment identification number forshipment 48 to control module 30 via a communication link 52.

Facility management system 32 provides the BOL numbers and PO numbersreceived via the electronic shipment data to external host system 34 viaa communication link 53. In one embodiment, communication link 53comprises an internet link. In response, host system 34, based on theelectronic shipment data, determines the composition of shipment 48including a package identification code associated with each package,the type of product in each package, a number of packages containingeach type of product, and a number of units of the product in eachpackage containing the product. Host system 32 compares the abovedescribed information determined from the electronic shipment data withthe inventory needs of retail outlets 40 supplied by distributionfacility 12 to generate distribution instructions for each package ofthe shipment, indicating where each package is to be transported withindistribution facility 12.

After arrival of shipment 48 at automatic receiving door 14, transportsystem 22 is configured to successively receive packages 54 as they areunloaded by distribution facility personnel from shipment 48 and totransport packages 40 to one of several locations within distributionfacility 12. In one embodiment, transport system 22 comprises a conveyorsystem, including an extendable portion 56 than can be extended into atruck carrying shipment 48 as packages 54 are unloaded.

Automated reader 24 is configured to identify vendor applied labels 58on packages 54 as they are transported along conveyor system 20, witheach vendor label 58 being one of a plurality of label types andcomprising a package identifier code representative of the correspondingpackage to which label 58 is affixed. Examples of vendor applied labeltypes include standard barcode labels such as the “Code 128” label, the“Interleaved 2 of 5” code (I2O5), the universal product code (UPC), andthe “European article number” code (EAN), each of which are familiar tothose of ordinary skill in the art. Automated reader system 24 isfurther configured to provide a label request message for each package54 to control module 30 via a communication link 60, the label requestmessage including a label type portion and an identifier code portionthat are based on the vendor labels 58 identified for each package 54.

In one embodiment, automated reader 24 includes a look-up table ofrecognizable label types, each recognizable label type having anassigned priority level. If multiple labels are identified, automatedreader 24 indexes the label type of each identified label to the look-uptable and selects the identified label having the label type with thehighest priority level. In this instance, the label type portion andidentifier code portion of the label request message correspondrespectively with the label type and identifier code of the selectedlabel. If only one label is identified, automated reader 24 indexes thelabel type of the identified label to the look-up table to ensure thatthe label type is a recognizable label type. In this instance, if thelabel type matches one of the recognizable label types, the label typeportion and identifier code portion of the label request messagecorrespond respectively with the label type and identifier code of theone identified label. If no labels are identified, or if none of theidentified labels matches any of the recognizable label types, the labeltype portion and identifier code portion of the label request messageare assigned values indicating that no labels were identified.

If a recognizable label type was selected by automated reader 24,control module 30 adds additional identifying information to the labelrequest message, such as the appointment number associated with shipment48, and a time/date stamp, and provides this modified label requestmessage to distribution controller 20 via communication link 52. If thelabel type and identifier code portions of the label request messagereceived from automated reader 24 indicate that no labels wereidentified, control module 30 provides a label format message to labeler26 via a communication link 61 indicating that no recognizable labelswere identified, in lieu of providing the label request message todistribution controller 20. Labeler 26 is described in further detailbelow.

Distribution controller 20 receives the label request message for eachpackage via communication link 52, and compares the associated packageidentifier code to the electronic shipment data received from vendors 46and the distribution instructions received from external host system 32to determine a distribution label message. Based on the comparison,distribution controller 20 provides a distribution label message foreach package 54 to control module 30 via communications link 52. In oneembodiment, the distribution label message comprises a routing codehaving a location portion representative of a location withindistribution facility 12 to which each package is to be transported. Asillustrated, distribution facility 12 includes at least three suchlocations, indicated as shipping area 62, breakpack area 64, andreserve/error area 66. In one embodiment, the routing code, in additionto the location portion, further includes an outlet portionrepresentative of one of the retail outlets 40 supplied by distributionfacility 12.

In one embodiment, if the distribution instructions indicate that theentire quantity of product units of the package are needed by a singleretail outlet, such as retail outlet 36 a, the location portion of therouting code will be representative of shipping area 62 and the outletportion of the routing code will be representative of retail outlet 36a. In one embodiment, shipping area 62 includes a plurality of shippingdoors 72, with one shipping door corresponding to each retail outlet 36.As such, the outlet portion of the routing code is representative of theshipping door 72 assigned to the corresponding retail outlet 36.

In one embodiment, if the distribution instructions indicate that only aportion of the entire contents are needed by one or more retail outlets36, the location portion of the routing code will be indicative ofbreakpack area 64. At breakpack area 62, distribution facility personnelopen the package and divide the contents as required to meet theinventory needs of each associated retail outlet 36. In one embodiment,if the distribution instructions indicate that there is not a presentneed for any of the units of product contained within the package, thelocation portion of the routing code will be indicative of thereserve/error area 66. In one embodiment, if distribution controller 20is unable to determine a match between the package identifier codereceived via the label request message from control module 30 and thedistribution instructions received from host system 34, the distributionlabel message will provide indication that no distribution instructiondata was found.

Based on either the distribution label message received fromdistribution controller 20 or on the label request message received fromautomated reader 24, control module 30 provides a label format messagefor each package 54 to labeler 26 via communication link 61. Asdescribed above, if the label type and identifier code portions of thelabel request message received from automated reader 24 indicate that nolabels were identified, control module 30 provides a label formatmessage to labeler 26 via a communication link 61 indicating that nolabels were found and further causes conveyor system 22 to direct thecorresponding package 54 to reserve/error area 66. In response to thelabel format message, labeler 26 prints and affixes a distribution label70 to corresponding package 54 having a text message indicating that nolabel was found.

If the distribution label message received from distribution controller20 indicates that distribution controller 20 was unable to determine amatch between the package's identification number and the distributioninstructions, control module 30 provides a label format message tolabeler 26 indicating that no data was found and further causes conveyorsystem 22 to direct the corresponding package 54 to reserve/error area66. In response to the label format message, labeler 26 prints andaffixes a distribution label 70 to corresponding package 54 having atext message indicating that no data was found.

If the distribution label message received from distribution controller20 includes a routing code, control module 30 provides a label formatmessage to labeler 26 comprising the routing code associated withpackage 54. In response, labeler 26 prints and affixes a distributionlabel 70 to package 54 having a routing code portion representative ofthe routing code corresponding to package 54. In one embodiment, therouting code portion comprises a bar code, such as a “Code 128” bar codeand a I2O5 bar code. Conveyor system 22 is then configured to directpackage 54 to reserve/error area 66, to breakpack area 64, or to aspecific shipping door 72 in shipping area 62 based on the routing codeportion of distribution label 70.

In one embodiment, automated receiving system 10 further includes averifier 68 configured to read distribution label 70 and to provideverification data representative of routing code portion of distributionlabel 70 to control module 30. Control module 30 compares theverification data to distribution label message corresponding to package54. If there is a correlation between the verification data and therouting code of the corresponding distribution label message, conveyorsystem 22 transports package 54 based on the routing code portion ofdistribution label 70 as described above, and control module 30 providesa verification message to distribution controller 20 indicating thatpackage 54 has been received. If no correlation can be found between theverification data and the routing code of the corresponding distributionlabel message, control module 30 causes package 54 to be removed fromconveyor system 22. In one embodiment, the removed package is returnedto conveyor system 22 prior to automated reader 24 such that it is onceagain “read” by automated reader 24.

By automatically identifying packages as they are unloaded from ashipment and distributing identified packages within the distributionfacility based on retail outlet inventory needs, automated receivingsystem 10 according to the present invention reduces the time requiredto process shipments. As a result, automated receiving system 10 reduceslabor costs and reduces the time required to supply the inventory needsof associated retail outlets. Furthermore, the time-saving benefits ofautomated receiving system 10 are optimized by evaluating shipmentcharacteristics prior to their arrival so that only those shipments mostlikely to result in the largest time savings are processed by automatedreceiving system 10.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of automatedreader system 24 according to the present invention. Automated readersystem 24 includes a scanning system 90 comprising a first camera 92 anda second camera 94, and a decoder 96. Cameras 92 and 94 are configuredto provide to decoder 96 digital image data representative of at least aportion of the outer surface of package 54, and potentially vendorlabels 58, as package 54 moves along conveyor system 22. Camera 92 isgenerally positioned so as to provide digital image data representativeof the top and front of package 54, while camera 94 is generallypositioned so as to provide digital image data representative of theside of package 54. In one embodiment, reader system 24 further includesa plurality of mirrors 102 positioned so a to provide reflected imagesof portions of the outer surfaces of package 54 that would not otherwisebe exposed to cameras 92 and 94.

Decoder 96 is configured to identify vendor labels 58 present in thedigital image data received from cameras 92 and 94 via communicationlinks 98 and 100. Decoder 96 includes a memory 104 storing the look-uptable of recognizable label types and corresponding assigned prioritylevels as described above with respect to FIG. 1. Also as describedabove with respect to FIG. 1, decoder 96 references identified vendorlabels with the look-up table stored in memory 104 to select anidentified vendor label, the label type and package identification codeof which will be included as part of the label request message providedto control module 30 via communication link 60. In one embodiment,decoder 96 comprises a specially programmed personal computer.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating one exemplary embodiment of aprocess 130 according to the present invention for receiving packages ofan incoming shipment of packages to a distribution facility having atleast one automated receiving door and at least one manual receivingdoor. Process 130 begins at step 132 with the receipt of electronicshipment data representative of the incoming shipment of packages. Atstep 132, in a fashion similar to that described with reference toscheduler 18 of FIG. 1, process 130 determines a point value for eachshipment characteristic of a plurality of shipment characteristics ofthe incoming shipment based on the electronic shipment data. Examples ofsuch shipment characteristics may include, as described above withrespect to FIG. 1, a total number of packages included in the incomingshipment and a number of products contained in each package. At step136, an unload score for the incoming shipment is determined by summingthe point values of each shipment characteristic as calculated at step138. At step 138, process 130 queries whether the unload score for theincoming shipment is greater than or equal to a threshold unload score.If the answer to the query is “no”, process 130 proceeds to step 140,where process 130 causes the incoming shipment to be directed to themanual receiving door. If the answer to the step 138 query is “yes”,process 130 proceeds to step 142 where process 130 causes the incomingshipment to be directed to the automated receiving door. At thecompletion of both steps 140 and 142, process 130 proceeds to step 144where it waits for receipt of electronic shipment data for a nextincoming shipment of packages.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating one exemplary embodiment of aprocess 150 according to the present invention for receiving packages ofan incoming shipment of packages to a distribution facility supplyinginventory to a plurality of retail outlets. Process 150 begins at step152 with the receipt of electronic shipment data representative of theincoming shipment of packages. At step 154, process 150 identifiesvendor applied labels on each package as it is unloaded from theincoming shipment, with each vendor label being one of a plurality oflabel types and comprising a package identifier code representative ofthe corresponding package. At step 156, process 150 selects a vendorlabel for each package from those vendor labels that have beenidentified from the package. In one embodiment, as described above withrespect to automated reader 24 of FIG. 1, process 150 selects the vendorlabel by comparing the identified vendor labels to a predeterminedplurality of label types, each label type having an assigned priority,and selecting the identified vendor labels with a label type having thehighest assigned priority level.

At step 158, process 150 receives distribution instructions for eachpackage of the shipment, wherein the distribution instructions are basedon the electronic shipment data and on the inventory needs of theplurality of retail outlets supplied by the distribution facility.Process 150 then proceeds to step 160 where it determines a routing codefor each package by comparing the package identifier code of theselected vendor label to the electronic shipment data and thedistribution instructions, wherein the routing code is representative ofone of a plurality of predetermined locations within the distributionfacility.

Process 150 then proceeds to step 162 where a distribution label isgenerated for each package that is representative of each package'scorresponding routing code. At step 164, each distribution label isaffixed to the corresponding package. Lastly, at step 166, each packageis transported to one of the plurality of predetermined locations withinthe distribution facility based on the corresponding distribution label.

One aspect of the present invention relates to retrofitting existingdistribution facilities with an automated receiving system according tothe present invention, wherein the existing distribution facilities eachinclude a plurality of doors classified as receiving doors for receivingshipments of packages. One embodiment of a process for retrofitting sucha distribution facility includes reclassifying at least one receivingdoor as a manual receiving door, reclassifying at least one receivingdoor as an automated receiving door, and reclassifying those receivingdoors not classified as either a manual receiving door or as anautomated receiving as dead doors, wherein dead doors are precluded fromreceiving shipments of packages. The retrofitting process furtherincludes providing an automated receiving system according to thepresent invention, wherein the automated receiving system is configuredto receive shipments of packages via the at least one automatedreceiving door.

Although the invention has been described with respect to particularembodiments, such embodiments are for illustrative purposes only andshould not be considered to limit the invention. Various alternativesand changes will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.

1. A method of processing packages from an incoming shipment of packagesto a distribution facility including at least one automated receivingdoor and at least one manual receiving door, the method comprising:prior to arrival of the incoming shipment of packages at thedistribution facility, automatically determining with a schedulerprocessor an unload score for the incoming shipment of packages to thedistribution facility based on electronic shipment data provided to thescheduler processor, the electronic shipment data including and theunload score being at least partially based on at least two or more ofthe following: a total number of packages in the incoming shipment ofpackages, a number of products in the incoming shipment of packages, anda conveyability of the packages contained in the incoming shipment ofpackages; automatically comparing the unload score to a threshold unloadscore using the scheduler processor; sending instruction from thescheduler processor for directing a truck carrying the incoming shipmentto one of the at least one automated receiving door and the at least onemanual receiving door when the unload score is at least equal to thethreshold unload score; and sending instruction from the schedulerprocessor for directing a truck carrying the incoming shipment to theother of the at least one automated receiving door and the at least onemanual receiving door when the unload score is less than the thresholdunload score.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step ofautomatically determining an unload score for the incoming shipment ofpackages comprises: determining a point value for each shipmentcharacteristic of a plurality of shipment characteristics of theincoming shipment of packages based on the electronic shipment data; andsumming the point values of each shipment characteristic to determinethe unload score for the incoming shipment of packages.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the scheduler processor is at the distributionfacility.
 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving datarelated to vendor applied labels identified on each package of theincoming shipment of packages, each such vendor applied label being oneof a plurality of label types and comprising a package identifier coderepresentative of a corresponding one of the packages; receiving datarelated to selected ones of the vendor applied labels for each packagefrom identified vendor applied labels from the packages based on labeltype; receiving distribution instructions for each package, thedistribution instructions being based on the electronic shipment dataand on inventory needs of a plurality of retail outlets; and determininga routing code for each package based on a comparison for each packageof the package identifier code of the selected one of the vendor appliedlabels with the electronic shipment data and the distributioninstructions, the routing code being representative of one of aplurality locations within the distribution facility.
 5. The method ofclaim 4, further comprising: providing instruction for generating adistribution label for each package representative of the routing codecorresponding to each package.
 6. The method of claim 5, furthercomprising: providing instruction for transporting each package to onelocation of the plurality of locations within the distribution facilitybased on the distribution label.
 7. The method of claim 4, wherein:there is a predetermined plurality of label types, each label type ofthe plurality of label types having an assigned priority level; and thestep of receiving data related to selected ones of the vendor appliedlabels for each package comprises receiving data related to a selectedidentified vendor applied label with a label type of the plurality oflabel types with a highest assigned priority level as compared to otherones of the assigned priority levels of the plurality of label types. 8.The method of claim 1, wherein: receiving electronic shipment dataincludes receiving a carrier data portion and a vendor data portion, thecarrier data portion and the vendor data portion each including at leastone bill of lading number, at least one purchase order number, and atotal number of packages associated with each purchase order number; andautomatically determining the unload score includes comparing thecarrier data portion to the vendor data portion and calculating theunload score to be indicative of how closely the carrier data portioncorresponds with the vendor data portion, wherein when the unload scoreis at least equal to the threshold unload score, the unload scoreindicates a relatively high level of correspondence between the carrierdata portion and the vendor data portion.
 9. A method for processingpackages, the method comprising: receiving electronic shipment data viaa scheduler processor prior to arrival of an incoming shipment ofpackages at a distribution facility, the electronic shipment data beingrepresentative of the incoming shipment of packages and including acarrier data portion and a vendor data portion for the incoming shipmenteach received by the scheduler processor via a communication link,wherein the carrier data portion and the vendor data portion eachinclude at least one bill of lading number, at least one purchase ordernumber, and a total number of packages associated with each purchaseorder number, and wherein the distribution facility includes at leastone automated receiving door and at least one manual receiving door;using the scheduler processor to automatically determine an unload scorefor the incoming shipment of packages based on the electronic shipmentdata prior to arrival of the incoming shipment of packages at thedistribution facility, wherein using the scheduler processor toautomatically determine the unload score includes automaticallycomparing the carrier data portion to the vendor data portion to atleast partially determine the unload score based on how closely thecarrier data portion corresponds with the vendor data portion of theelectronic shipment data; automatically determining, using the schedulerprocessor, whether to provide instruction to direct the incomingshipment of packages to the at least one automated receiving door or theat least one manual receiving door including: using the schedulerprocessor to automatically provide instruction to direct the incomingshipment of packages to one of the at least one automated receiving doorand the at least one manual receiving door when the unload scoreindicates a high level of correspondence between the carrier dataportion and the vendor data portion, wherein the unload score indicatesa high level of correspondence between the carrier data portion and thevendor data portion when the unload score is at least equal to athreshold score, and using the scheduler processor to automaticallyprovide instruction to direct the incoming shipment of packages to theother of the at least one automated receiving door and the at least onemanual receiving door based on the unload score when the unload scoreindicates a low level of correspondence between the carrier data portionand the vendor data portion; and providing instruction to a transportsystem to successively receive each package of the incoming shipment ofpackages and to transport each package within the distribution facilityfrom the at least one automated receiving door or the at least onemanual receiving door.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:dynamically adjusting the threshold score based on unload scoresdetermined for a plurality of other incoming shipments of packages tothe distribution facility.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein using thescheduler processor to automatically determine the unload scoreincludes: determining a point value for each shipment characteristic ofa plurality of shipment characteristics of the incoming shipment ofpackages; and summing the point values of the plurality of shipmentcharacteristics to determine the unload score.
 12. The method of claim11, wherein determining the point value includes adjusting each pointvalue based on an assigned weight value of a corresponding shipmentcharacteristic.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein one shipmentcharacteristic of the plurality of shipment characteristics has a pointvalue based on a total number of packages in the incoming shipment. 14.The method of claim 11, wherein one shipment characteristic of theplurality of shipment characteristics has a point value based on anumber of items contained in each package of the incoming shipment ofpackages.
 15. The method of claim 9, further comprising: using thescheduler processor to compare the unload score for the incomingshipment of packages to an unload score of each incoming shipment of aplurality of other incoming shipments of packages; and determiningwhether to provide instruction to direct the incoming shipment to eitherthe at least one automated receiving door or the at least one manualreceiving door based in part of the unload score for each incomingshipment of the plurality of other incoming shipments of packages. 16.The method of claim 9, further comprising: receiving data related toidentified vendor labels on each package of the incoming shipment ofpackages, each such vendor label being one of a plurality ofpredetermined label types and comprising a package identifier coderepresentative of a corresponding package, and to select a vendor labelfor each package from the identified vendor labels from each packagebased on label type; receiving distribution instructions for eachpackage based on the electronic shipment data and on inventory needs ofretail outlets; assigning a routing code for each package based on acomparison of the package identifier code of a corresponding selectedvendor label with the electronic shipment data and the distributioninstructions; and providing instruction for distributing each packagealong a conveyor system within the distribution facility based on acorresponding routing code, wherein the conveyor system is part of thetransport system within the distribution facility.
 17. The method ofclaim 16, further comprising: providing instruction to a labeler toprint and affix to each package a distribution label representative ofthe routing code corresponding to the package; and providing instructionto the transport system to transport the packages of the incomingshipment of packages to one of a plurality of locations within thedistribution facility based on the distribution labels.
 18. The methodof claim 9, wherein the scheduler processor is at the distributionfacility.
 19. A system for processing packages comprising: a processorconfigured to: prior to arrival of the incoming shipment of packages ata distribution facility including at least one automated receiving doorand at least one manual receiving door, automatically determine anunload score for an incoming shipment of packages at the distributionfacility based on electronic shipment data provided to the processorprior to arrival of the incoming shipment of packages, the electronicshipment data including and the unload score being at least partiallybased on at least two or more of the following: a total number ofpackages in the incoming shipment of packages, a number of products inthe incoming shipment of packages, and a conveyability of the packagescontained in the incoming shipment of packages; automatically comparethe unload score to a threshold unload score; provide instruction fordirecting a truck carrying the incoming shipment to one of the at leastone automated receiving door and the at least one manual receiving doorwhen the unload score is at least equal to the threshold unload score;and provide instruction for directing a truck carrying the incomingshipment to the other of the at least one automated receiving door andthe at least one manual receiving door when the unload score is lessthan the threshold unload score.
 20. The system of claim 19, wherein theprocessor is further configured to: determine a point value for eachshipment characteristic of a plurality of shipment characteristics ofthe incoming shipment of packages based on the electronic shipment data;and sum the point values of each shipment characteristic to determinethe unload score for the incoming shipment of packages.